Lewis Hamilton slapped with Hungary F1 penalty for ‘crazy’ impeding

Lewis Hamilton has been handed a three-place grid penalty at the Hungarian Grand Prix for impeding Oscar Piastri during Formula 1 qualifying. 

Seven-time world champion Hamilton qualified second on the grid after narrowly being pipped to pole position by McLaren’s Lando Norris at the Hungaroring, but he immediately faced an investigation for an incident with the other McLaren of Piastri. 

Piastri came across a slow Hamilton on the racing line at Turn 1 and was unable to improve on his last attempt of Q3, leaving the Australian down in fifth place.

The stewards judged Hamilton to have been guilty of impeding Piastri, and subsequently issued the Ferrari driver with a three-place grid drop.

"At the approach to Turn 1, Car 44 was travelling at a significantly reduced speed on the racing line while Car 81 was approaching on a push lap," the stewards' verdict read. 

"The driver of Car 44 explained that he had just completed a fast lap and did not receive the team's radio message regarding the approaching Car 81 until the latter was already in close proximity. He further stated that, due to the positioning of his car on the track, Car 81 was not visible in his mirrors. 

"Car 81, which was on a push lap, was forced to take avoiding action by running wide and being obliged to abort the lap. 

"Having examined the available evidence, the Stewards determined that Car 44 unnecessarily impeded Car 81 during qualifying.

"In accordance with the FIA F1 Regulations and the established penalty guidelines for this type of infringement in Qualifying, the Stewards impose a three-place grid penalty on the driver of Car 44."

“I was told literally when he [Piastri] was at the apex behind me,” Hamilton said in the post-qualifying press conference. 

“So I had no idea he was coming. I thought everyone came out behind me, I was the first out, so I thought everyone had finished their lap. I think Charles was the car that was behind me when I left the pit lane, as far as I was aware. 

“So, crazy, because it had been clean [prior to that] and obviously it wasn’t intentional.” 

The penalty Hamilton will line up from fifth on the grid for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix, which gets underway at 1500 UK time. 

Hamilton’s penalty promotes Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc onto the front row alongside Norris, while Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Piastri will move up one position each to third and fourth respectively. 

However, championship leader Antonelli could also face punishment over an alleged yellow-flag infringement during qualifying. The stewards have yet to issue their verdict on that incident as yet. 

Ferrari takes blame for Hamilton penalty 

Speaking before the penalty was confirmed, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur admitted the Italian outfit failed to give Hamilton the information he needed quickly enough. 

“I will let the stewards decide but we told him far too late and if there’s a mistake it’s our mistake,” Vasseur told Sky Sports F1.